Re: Percival : Wed Sep 23, 2015 11:16 am  

Twentyman wrote:

It all needs sorting out. Leigh, Halifax, Bradford, Sheffield and even Fev could have easily mixed it with the bottom half SL clubs during the regular season.

What makes you say that? Out of those clubs only Leigh made any headway in the cup.

FWIW I think Leigh have suffered from having the quality of personnel to allow them to play a reckless, cavalier style of rugby throughout the Championship season. They've been able to take undue risks all year because their opposition haven't been strong enough to punish them when those risks backfired. They then haven't been able to adapt their game to playing at a higher standard on a weekly basis, where a smarter approach to the game is required.

Re: Percival : Wed Sep 23, 2015 11:21 am  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

The cap is 1m (plus benefits that the championship clubs can exploit) vs 1.65m for SL clubs(with benefits the lower teams probably can't exploit). The gap really isn't that big, especially considering the majority of the lower SL teams aren't spending up to the cap...

As for mid season signings - how is Leigh signing Higham and Hock any different to Wakefield signing Locke? It happened earlier in the season (whose to say Locke wouldn't of signed for Wakefield earlier if he were available?) but all mentioned signings were for 1 purpose ...

The difference between able to spend £650,000 or not is pretty big mate, especially for a team in the championship with ambitions. That could be the difference between have a quality pair of halfbacks and a fullback or even more than that. It's a lot of money.

Re: Percival : Wed Sep 23, 2015 11:25 am  

Twentyman wrote:

The difference between able to spend £650,000 or not is pretty big mate, especially for a team in the championship with ambitions. That could be the difference between have a quality pair of halfbacks and a fullback or even more than that. It's a lot of money.

But it's not 650k - iirc only Salford are spending up to the SL cap in the middle 8s and the others are 1.2m - 1.5m. Then consider the fact that Leigh's (for example) homegrown players (Higham and Ridyard jump out) only count for 40k on the cap your looking at a difference as low as 50k (if at all) for a 25 man squad.

Re: Percival : Wed Sep 23, 2015 11:33 am  

Dux wrote:

What makes you say that? Out of those clubs only Leigh made any headway in the cup.

FWIW I think Leigh have suffered from having the quality of personnel to allow them to play a reckless, cavalier style of rugby throughout the Championship season. They've been able to take undue risks all year because their opposition haven't been strong enough to punish them when those risks backfired. They then haven't been able to adapt their game to playing at a higher standard on a weekly basis, where a smarter approach to the game is required.

Fev were incredibly unlucky against the Catalans in France. They were missing several players and got pipped by a few points (37-34) Batley 'almost' won against Widnes (26-22). Bradford got beat by the finalists 50-30. Sheffield got beat against Hull I think 30 odd 12. Halifax admittedly took a beating off Wakefield but my point is, they were competitive scorelines. They weren't 30,40+ margin tonkings.

That salary cap difference does make the difference.

Re: Percival : Wed Sep 23, 2015 11:36 am  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

But it's not 650k - iirc only Salford are spending up to the SL cap in the middle 8s and the others are 1.2m - 1.5m. Then consider the fact that Leigh's (for example) homegrown players (Higham and Ridyard jump out) only count for 40k on the cap your looking at a difference as low as 50k (if at all) for a 25 man squad.

Ok mate, you're clearly more clued up on this than me, however, it's still a difference isn't it? It's not the same...8 teams thrown together but 4 of them are allowed to spend over half a million more. That's not a level playing field.

Re: Percival : Wed Sep 23, 2015 11:49 am  

Twentyman wrote:

Ok mate, you're clearly more clued up on this than me, however, it's still a difference isn't it? It's not the same...8 teams thrown together but 4 of them are allowed to spend over half a million more. That's not a level playing field.

Saints not being able to play Lomax this week is a bigger hamstring to the squad than the championship clubs COULD have. If SC were the sole factor, Oldham wouldn't have won promotion in the bottom 8s.

The championship clubs have 2 options, flood their team with unsuccessful SL players, and get found out against actual SL teams - or develop their own, and get handsome bonuses from it, and build promotion from the bottom up. The first option was the way of 1 up 1 down and created some of the least competitive teams SL has seen.

I'd suspect you could fit the Saints/ Wigan squads into a championship salary cap (maybe losing one).

Re: Percival : Wed Sep 23, 2015 11:53 am  

It should be done like football! If Leigh can afford to we should be able to spend sl cap as we are expected too match the sl teams too get promoted! I love the new system I just think it needs a transfer window like football were it is a level playing field! I Think there is a buzz around rugby league. I'm not one of these for excuses if we were good enough we would go up!

Re: Percival : Wed Sep 23, 2015 11:56 am  

oggy123 wrote:

It should be done like football! If Leigh can afford to we should be able to spend sl cap as we are expected too match the sl teams too get promoted! I love the new system I just think it needs a transfer window like football were it is a level playing field! I Think there is a buzz around rugby league. I'm not one of these for excuses if we were good enough we would go up!

Is promotion to SL the goal, or being competitive in SL when you enter the competition?

Re: Percival : Wed Sep 23, 2015 11:59 am  

Surely any sportsman will know the aim is too be the best! Get up and stay up and build on that! I know Beaumont can be a loudmouth but he will put he's money were is mouth is and at times this year the crowds have been very good for were we are and as shown against wire too take nearly 4k away is a good effort and the teams like yourselves will bring the crowds

Re: Percival : Wed Sep 23, 2015 12:01 pm  

oggy123 wrote:

It should be done like football! If Leigh can afford to we should be able to spend sl cap as we are expected too match the sl teams too get promoted! I love the new system I just think it needs a transfer window like football were it is a level playing field! I Think there is a buzz around rugby league. I'm not one of these for excuses if we were good enough we would go up!

I definitely agree that a much earlier transfer deadline is needed - it should be well before it's clear who is going to be in the middle 8.